Box-shaped self-supporting building unit and a method of construction thereof

ABSTRACT

A box-shaped, self-supporting building unit, a plurality of which may be arranged juxtaposed and/or superposed for the construction of a building, the unit including a self-supporting floor element and a self-supporting ceiling element, both having a supporting structure, and two pairs of opposite wall elements as well as a supporting, vertical column of sectional iron in each corner, the column rigidly connecting the supporting structure of the floor element with the supporting structure of the ceiling element.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a box-shaped, self-supporting building unit, aplurality of which may be arranged juxtaposed and/or superposed for theconstruction of a building, said unit comprising a self-supporting floorelement and a self-supporting ceiling element, both having a supportingstructure, and two pairs opposite wall elements as well as a supporting,vertical column of sectional iron in each corner, said column rigidlyconnecting the supporting structure of the floor element with thesupporting structure of the ceiling element.

BACKGROUND ART

Building units of the above type are known having supporting walls andof which the ceiling and floor are constructed as a wooden structuresupported by the walls. The known building units are constructed inaccordance with traditional construction methods.

Furthermore, GB-A-2 040 334 discloses a box-shaped, self-supportingbuilding unit comprising a bottom element consisting of a frame and aplate and an upper element consisting of a frame and a plate, and fourcorner columns mutually joining together the bottom element and theupper element. When the building unit is to be assembled, said elementsare initially assembled to a rigid supporting frame, which issubsequently transported to the building site, at which several suchbuilding units or frames are joined together, whereafter a number ofoperations are to be carried out, such as fitting of inner sheating,isolation and cladding.

Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,442,056 discloses a prefabricated buildingsection comprising a floor element and a ceiling element comprisingprofiled metal beams forming a framework about the edge of therespective elements, and a wall element comprising profiled metal beamsor columns along the lateral edges thereof.

When the building section is assembled, the wall elements arranged onthe floor elements at the abutting beams thereof secured to each otheer,for instance by welding. Finally, the ceiling element is arranged on topof the wall elements and the abutting beams thereof secured to eachother by welding.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a method of the type stated inthe introduction, which can be carried out in a rational manner andunder controlled conditions regardless of the weather and the buildingsite conditions.

For obtaining said object the building unit according to the inventionis characterised by the features sates in the characterising part ofclaim 1.

Since the building unit consists of separate elements, it is possible tofactory-prefabricate these with great accuracy in a very rationalmanner. Similarly, the elements forming the units may be assembled andcompletely mounted in the factory for formation of the finished units,which then may be transported to and assembled on site. As the wallelements can bear the ceiling element, it is possible to defer themounting of the supporting columns, until the rest of the unit iscompletely assembled, whereby a the individual elements may be completedto significantly higher degree in the factory than hitherto prior to thejoining together of the units on the site. It is thus possible tocomplete the ceiling element as well as the floor element prior to theassembly thereof and to provide the wall elements with inner sheating.As a result, the interior of the separate building units may becompleted in the factory prior to the mounting on site. Overall, asubstantial gain in effeciency is obtained.

According to the invention, the wall sections may be arranged abuttinglyin such a manner that a vertical cavity is formed for receiving thecolumns.

Further, according to the invention, the supporting structure of thefloor element may comprise two longitudinal bearing side members and aplurality of transverse girders arranged therebetween.

Moreover, according to the invention, the supporting structure of theceiling element may comprise two longitudinal bearing side members and aplurality of transverse girders arranged therebetween.

Furthermore, according to the invention, at the above embodiment saidtransverse girders may be connected at each end to a longitudinal girderwhich is attached to the bearing side members.

Moreover, according to the invention, the bearing side members may beC-iron sections.

Furthermore, according to the invention, the longitudinal girders may beof U-iron sections and the transverse girders may be C- or U-ironsections with an outer sectional width essentially corresponding to theinner sectional width of the U-iron section.

Moreover, according to the invention, the columns may preferably have arectangular and in particular a square cross-section.

Furthermore, according to the invention, the columns may be joined tothe supporting structure of the floor and ceiling elements by means ofwelding. According to the invention, the wall elements may be arrangedabuttingly in such a manner that a vertical cavity is formed forreceiving the columns.

The building unit according to the invention may be utilized for alltypes of construction of uniform units, such as houses, hotels, collegesand the like, said unit being explained in greater details below withreference to the drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of three building units according to theinvention arranged superposed and juxtaposed, respectively.

FIG. 2 is a top view of a floor element of the building unit.

FIG. 2a is a perspective view of the detail 2a in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a ceiling element of the building unit.

FIG. 3a is a perspective view of the detail 3a in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is an external view of a wall element of the building unit.

FIG. 4a is a perspective view of the detail 4a in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view along the line 5--5 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view along the line 6--6 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 illustrates a corner of the building unit seen in the directionof the arrow 7 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7a is a sectional view along the line 7a--7a in FIG. 7.

FIG. 7b is a sectional view along the line 7b--7b in FIG. 7.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view along the line 8--8 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view along the line 9--9 in FIG. 1.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

As it appears from FIG. 1, building unit comprises a floor element 1 anda ceiling element 2 and in each of the four corners a column 5 rigidlyconnecting the floor element 1 and the ceiling element 2 and intended toreceive the vertical forces to which a building unit is subjected. Eachcolumn 5 being a hollow iron section with a rectangular cross-sectioncomprises at its upper end a projecting upper plate 6 and at its loverend a projecting bottom plate 7. The upper plates 6 and the bottomplates 7 are arranged superposed when stacking two building units andare interconnected by means of bolts extending through openings in saidplates. Finally, each building unit comprises a pair of side walls 3 anda pair of end walls 4 and possible inner light partitions.

As seen in FIGS. 2 and FIG. 2a, the floor element 1 has a supportingstructure of sectional iron. The shown supporting structure comprisestwo longitudinal iron girder 8,9 having a U-shaped cross-section and aplurality of transverse girders 10 having a C-shaped cross-section andextending in between the longitudinal girders. The transverse girdershave such a width that they may be inserted into the cavity of thelongitudinal girders 8,9. The transverse girders 10 are attached to thelongitudinal girders 8,9 by means of angle irons 11, which are fixed bymeans of self-cutting screws. On the outer face of each of thelongitudinal girder 8,9, a C-shaped iron section or side member 12,13 isarranged with the opening facing the adjacent longitudinal girder 8,9.The C-shaped iron section or side member 12, 13 is fixed to thelongitudinal girders 8,9 by means of self-cutting screws passed throughthe angle iron 11. Finally, at each end of the side members 12, 13, afish plate 15 is provided on the inner side.

As it appears from FIGS. 3 and 3a, the ceiling element 2 is constructedin a similar manner as the floor element 1 and thus comprises twolongitudinal girders 18,19, wherebetween a plurality of transversegirders 20 having a C-shaped cross-section extend, said transversegirders being attached at each end to the longitudinal girders by meansof angle irons 21. On the outer face of each longitudinal girder 18,19,a C-shaped iron section or side member 22,23 is arranged. At each end ofthe C-shaped iron sections or side members 22,23, an angular mounting 25with a projecting angular portion is mounted on the inner side.

As seen in FIG. 4 each wall element is constructed as a lattice work ofsectional iron, this being a side wall element 3 or an end wall element4. The lattice work comprises two longitudinal, U-shaped iron sections14,16 and a plurality of C-shaped iron sections 17 extending in betweensaid U-shaped iron sections 14,16 and having such a width that they maybe received by the cavity of the U-shaped iron sections. The C-shaped,transverse iron sections are joined to the longitudinal iron sections14,16 by means of spot welding at reference numeral 24. The wall elementshown in FIG. 4 is provided with a doorway, but depending on the objectthereof, said element may of course be without an opening or be providedwith one or several openings for windows, etc.

The wall elements 3,4 are provided with an inner sheating, preferablygypsum plasterboards, being screwed on to the iron sections 14, 16, 17.Correspondingly, the ceiling element 2 and the floor element 1 areprovided with inner sheating. The sheating of the ceiling preferablybeing gypsum plasterboards screwed onto the iron section 18,19,20 ofsaid element, and the inner sheating of the floor element 1 preferablybeing chip boards screwed onto the sectional iron girder 8,9,10 thereof.

As it appears from FIGS. 7, 7a and 7b, the columns 5 are joined to theC-shaped iron sections or side members 12,13 of the floor element and tothe C-shaped iron sections or side members 22,23 by welding of the fishplate 15 onto the end of the side member 12 to the corner column 5.

The weld between the corner column 5 and the side members 12,13 of thefloor element is indicated by the reference numeral 26, while the weldbetween the corner column 5 and the C-shaped iron section 22,23 ofceiling element is indicated with the reference numeral 27.

Prior to the assembly of a building unit, the separate elements arecompleted with sheating and isolation. In the present embodiment, thewall element 3 is provided with an inner sheating 28 of gypsumplasterboards, the ceiling element 2 is provided with a double gypsumplasterboard 29 as inner sheating and the floor element is provided withan inner sheating 30 of chip boards. The floor element 1 is furthermoreprovided with the installations required and an outer boarding,preferably a gypsum plasterboard 33.

The building unit is assembled as follows with reference to FIGS. 5 to9, in particular:

The floor element 1 is placed on a levelled base of steel blocks,whereafter the walls 3,4 are arranged plumb on the floor element 1, theend walls thus being supported by the outermost transverse girders 10,while the side walls 4 are supported by the C-shaped side members 12,13.The walls 3,4 are furthermore arranged abuttingly in such a manner thata vertical, through-going cavity is formed at the corners for receivingthe columns 5 (confer FIGS. 8 and 9). The walls 3,4 are interconnectedat the corners by means of the angle iron 32 and the self-cutting screws31, which are passed through the angle iron and screwed into the outerC-shaped iron section 17, 17' of the adjacent walls 3,4. The joiningtogether of the wall elements 3,4 and the floor element 1 is made bymeans of self-cutting screws 31 (confer FIGS. 5 and 6).

Subsequent to assembly of the walls 3,4, the ceiling element 2 is lifteddownwards to abut the wall elements 3,4, the C-shaped iron section 22,23of the ceiling element 2 being made to rest on the upper, U-shaped ironsections 16 of the side wall elements 3, while the outer transversegirders 20 are made to rest on the upper, U-shaped iron sections 16 ofthe end wall element 4. The ceiling element 2 is fixed to the wallelements 3,4 by means of self-cutting screws 31 (confer FIGS. 5 and 6).

Finally, the corner columns 5 are mounted by means of welding saidcolumns to the C-shaped side members 12,13 of the floor element and tothe C-shaped iron sections of the ceiling element 2.

Subsequent to mounting of the corner columns 5, the unit possesses sucha rigidity that it is self-supporting and may be transported to thebuilding site. In most cases, however, it would be advantageous, priorto transportation, to completely fit the unit with radiators, kitchen,windows, doors and other carpentry works as well as with bath/toilet,tiles, floor covering, paintwork, etc.. Furthermore, plates, preferablygypsum boarding plates 36, are mounted on the outer side of the wallelements 2,3. By such a degree of completion, the mounting on thebuilding site may be carried out in approximately one hour.

Upon arrival at the building site, the unit is liked in place andfastened at the bottom plates of its columns by means of bolts. Due tothe structure of the units, said mounting may advantageously be carriedout from the outside and thus without having to enter the unit.

Subsequent to mounting of the units, the joints between the individualunits are closed, for instance by means of a gypsum boarding plate.

The mounting of the units is now completed and the building may beprovided with a facing of for instance facing brick.

Roofing may be performed in a traditional manner.

I claim:
 1. A method of construction of a box-shaped, self-supportingbuilding unit a plurality of which may be arranged one of juxtaposed andsuperposed for the construction of a building, said unit comprising aself-supporting floor element and a self-supporting ceiling element,both having a supporting structure, and two pairs of opposite wallelements as well as in each corner a supporting, vertical column ofsectional iron, said vertical columns rigidly connecting the supportingstructure of the floor element with the supporting structure of theceiling element, said method comprisingarranging the floor element on alevelled base, whereafter shaping and dimensioning the wall elements tobear the ceiling element, mounting and interconnecting the wall elementsplumb on the floor element, subsequently, arranging and joining theceiling element superposed on the wall elements, and finally, mountingand joining the supporting columns to the supporting structure of thefloor and ceiling element.
 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein thewall elements are arranged abuttingly in such a manner that a verticalcavity is formed for receiving the columns.
 3. A method as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the supporting structure of the floor element comprisestwo longitudinal bearing side members and a plurality of transversegirders arranged therebetween.
 4. A method as claimed in claim 1,wherein the supporting structure of the ceiling element comprises twolongitudinal bearing side members and a plurality of transverse girdersarranged therebetween.
 5. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein thetransverse girders at each end are connected to a longitudinal girderbeing connected to the bearing side member.
 6. A method as claimed inclaim 3, wherein the bearing side members are C-iron sections.
 7. Amethod as claimed in claim 5, wherein the longitudinal girders areU-iron sections and the transverse girders are C- or U-iron sectionswith an outer sectional width essentially corresponding to the innersectional width of the U-iron section.
 8. A method as claimed in claim1, wherein the columns have a square cross-section.
 9. A method asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the columns are joined to the supportingstructure of the floor and ceiling elements by welding.